Anytime an act of terror takes innocent lives, questions are asked about how anyone can do something so evil. More than 50 years ago, one of the most famous psychology experiments of all times, the Stanley Milgram experiments, sought to answer just how far an ordinary person will go. The controversial study seemed to show that a very high proportion of people were prepared to obey and authority figure, even if apparently causing serious injury and distress to another person.

A learner in Milgram's experiments has his electrodes strapped on

The shock generator

Professor Alex Haslam from the University of Queensland has re-examined the Milgram experiments and has some sobering findings about the true nature of evil.